I am writing to you to ask for your guidance with a problem I just had with a hotel in Lyon. The hotel is called 1ère Etape Lyon Vaulx-en-Veline:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/1-ere-etape.fr.html

I attended a conference in Lyon and stayed there for 5 nights. On the last night I needed to charge my laptop. The room has only two available plugs one of which is the tv plug. I needed to use both so I tried removing the tv plug. The tv is placed on one of those elevated shelves on the wall. Now, it is my experience that standard safety regulations should compel that the tv should be fixed on that stand. Unfortunately this one was not (it was merely placed there, no screws or any other sort of safety device). As I moved the plug the tv fell causing a small bench they have placed underneath it to break.

It is my understanding that since this could have easily landed on my head it constitutes a safety hazard which violates the Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 according to which the person who controls a premises is liable for the physical safety of everyone who comes onto the premises.

The people in the hotel not only accused me of breaking the bench in some other way like sitting on it (since the plastic tv is actually in working condition) but also charged me 300 euros which I am sure is some sort of scam. I immediatley called the police in Lyon who arrived there and did confirm the tv was not properly placed and that indeed there was a mark indicating that it had fallen but could not help me further cause they said it was not their responsibility but the commerce department's?

I would be very grateful should yoube able to inform me as to where I should forward this complaint. I would like to receive my 300 euros back or at least some reasonable amount and I surely think someone should be sent to that hotel and check for the adherence to safety standards.

I have their receipt of my payment for 300 euros, I have photos of the tv placement (right before they literally PUSHED me out of the room so that I wouldnt take more) and I am sure I can find out the name of the policemen who came at the site. I am unfortunately leaving lyon today (fying to NY) so I couldnt look into it further right at that point.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.